Adjustable support means for a television receiver



Oct. 3, 1967 E. 1.. BUNTING 3,345,451

ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT MEANS FOR A TELEVISION RECEIVER Filed Oct. 19, 1965 2 SheetsSheet 1 ,Flq/ 9 ki X4 INVENTOR.

Oct. 3, 1967 E. L. BUNTING 3,345,461

ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT MEANS FOR A TELEVISION RECEIVER Filed Oct. 19, 1965 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,345,461 ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT MEANS FOR A TELEVISION RECEIVER Earl L. Bunting, 34 Bermuda Road, Westport, Conn. 06880 Filed Oct. 19, 1965, Ser. No. 497,762 4 Claims. (Cl. 178--7.81)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A support for adjustably mounting a television receiver on a table comprising a base having a plural part bracket provided with a socket to receive the pin of an adjustable arm carrying a television receiver and providing electrical connections for the receiver in all adjustable p sitions thereof.

The present invention relates to a support means for a television receiver for supporting it in a plurality of positions. It is particularly useful for bedrooms or the like where convalescing people are confined or as a bedside television viewer.

To accomplish this the present invention provides a novel base construction embodying an elongate base member anda unique bracket mounted on the base member to project therefrom and to provide an outboard support for the television receiver and also means for holding a socket for receiving a pin on a counterbalanced adjustable arm to support a television receiver in adjustable positions thereby. The socket and pin also form means for providing electrical connection for the television receiver.

A feature of the invention resides in the simplicity and efiiciency of the structure.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the specification and claims when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of the table showing the support mounted thereon.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the support.

FIG. 3 is a view partly in section showing the pin and socket connection.

FIG. 4 is a view along the line 44 of FIG. 2.

As shown in the drawings, the supporting means comprises an elongate base having a bracket 11 connected thereto to project upwardly and outwardly therefrom. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the bracket is located about midway of the length of the base and projects upwardly and outwardly therefrom. While the bracket can be cast in one piece, in the illustrated form of the invention it comprises a first leg 12 having its bottom end 13 connected to the base and the other end 14 extending upwardly and outwardly from the base and connected to a socket member 15. The bracket also includes a second leg 16 having its upper end 17 connected to the socket member and its lower end 18 extending downwardly and outwardly and terminating in a foot 19 so as to produce an outboard support means. Preferably, the base 10 has a flat surface 20 whereby it can be readily mounted on the flat top surface of a night table T or the like and the foot 19 is provided with a flat surface 21 engaging the top of the table with the foot and base so arranged as to form, in effect, a triangular supoprt with the socket member disposed in a position within the sides of the triangle as illustrated in FIG. 2. Preferably, the base 10 is hollow, as shown in FIG. 4, and is provided with heavy lead weights 22 adjacent each end thereof and leaving a space 23 in between for a purpose to be described.

Mounted in the socket to project upwardly therefrom is a counterbalanced adjustable arm 24 comprising a paral- 3,345,461 Patented Oct. 3, 1967 leleogram of links 25 and counterbalancing springs 26. The inner end of the arm is connected to a pin 27 which is remova-bly received in an upwardly facing socket 28 formed in the socket member 15 to support the arm therefrom, while the other end of the arm is provided with a swivel connection 29 to which a television receiver 30 is connected.

While the bracket may be provided with suitable means for supplying power to the television receiver, in the herein illustrated form of the invention the power for the television receiver is provided by a transformer and filter unit 31 mounted in the space 23 in the base between the weights and connected to a cord 32 to be plugged into an electrical outlet (not shown).

The television signal for the receiver can be provided by the antenna 30A or by connecting a separate antenna to the base to feed signals to the receiver. While the signal can be fed by a separate cable, in the herein illustrated form of the invention, it is fed by the conductors 35, 40 in addition to the operating power.

If desired, the base can be provided with a switch 33 and an electrical outlet 34 whereby other appliances, such as a night lamp or the like, can be plugged into the house current and controlled.

In accordance with the present invention a conductor 35 extends from the power unit 31 along a groove 35a formed in the leg 12, through a hole 36 in the end 14 of the leg and into a recess 37 in the socket member and terminates in a female terminal 38 formed in the bottom of the socket 28. The pin 27 on the adjustable arm is slidably received in the socket 28 and has a male contact pin terminal 39 at the 8 end cooperating with the socket terminal 38 in the socket member. A conductor 40 extends therefrom and along the adjustable arm, as shown in FIG. 3, to the swivel connector 29 whereby electrical connection is made to the television receiver 30 which is preferably a small television receiver which has had the power circuits removed therefrom in order to lighten the receiverd and permit it to be more readily supported by the support means and the adjustable counterbalanced arm.

With this construction it will be readily seen that the television receiver and arm can be removed from the sup port as required for storage or for the purpose of transporting the same and as soon as the receiver and counterbalanced arm are placed in position a circuit is automatically made to the power source. If desired, the top of the socket member can be provided with spaced walls 41 for limiting the turning movement of the arm with respect thereto.

This simple and eflicient construction provides a supporting means which is relatively inexpensive and is easy to operate to provide an adjustable support for a television receiver in which the arm can be manipulated to raise or lower the receiver as required and the swivel connection of the receiver to the arm enables adjustment of the receiver into a viewing position which may accommodate various postures of the viewer.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1. Means for supporting a television receiver in a plurality of adjustable positions comprising a horizontally disposed elongate base adapted to be mounted on a supporting surface, a bracket secured to the base to project therefrom substantially midway between the ends thereof and lie in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the base, said bracket having a portion engaging the supporting surface at a point remote from the base to form an outboard support and a socket means having an upwardly facing socket, an adjustable counterbalanced therefrom substantially midway between the ends thereof and lie in a transverse plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the base, said bracket having a portion engaging thesupporting surface at a point remote from the base to form therewith a triangular support means and having a socket member provided with an upwardly facing socket and located with said triangular support means, an adjustable counterbalanced arm having a mounting pin on one end thereof removably mounted in said socket, a television receiver having a swivel mount carried on the other end of the arm, and means including the pin and socket for supplying operating power to said television receiver in all adjusted positions thereof.

3. Means for supporting a television receiver in a plurality of adjustable positions comprising an elongate rectangular base adapated to be mounted on a supporting surface, a bracket secured to the base to project outwardly and upwardly therefrom substantially midway between the ends thereof and lie in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the base, said bracket comprising a first leg secured at one end to the base and at the other end to a socket member and a second leg secured at one end to said socket member and having the other end connected to a foot portion engaging the supporting surface at a point remote from the base to form an outboard support, said socket member being provided with an upwardly facing socket, an adjustable counterbalanced arm having a mounting pin on one end thereof removably mounted in said socket, a television receiver mounted on the other end of the arm, and means carried by the bracket for supplying operating power to said television receiver in all adjusted positions thereof. 1

4. Means for supporting a television receiver in a plurality of adjustable positions comprising an elongate base having a flat surface adapted to be mounted on a supporting surface, a bracket secured to the base to project therefrom substantially midway between the ends thereof and lie in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the base, said bracket having a portion engaging the supporting surface at a point remote from the base to form an outboard support and having a socket member provided with an upwardly facing socket on said bracket, an adjustable counterbalanced arm having a mounting pin on one end thereof removably mounted in said socket, a television receiver mounted by swivel means on the other end of the arm, said base having weights at the ends thereof and having a hollow space in the middle thereof, a power supply for said television receiver mounted in said hollow space and having a conductor extending therefrom and terminating in a terminal in said socket, and a cooperating terminal connected to said television receiver and carried by the pin to complete the electrical connection of the power supply to the television receiver for all adjusted positions of the receiver when the pin is in the socket.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 935,405 9/1909 Rhodes 24828O 2,036,097 3/1936 Pieper 248-281 X 2,553,094 5/1951 Jarrett et al 248122 X ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner.

I. F. FOSS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A TELEVISION RECEIVER IN A PLURALITY OF ADJUSTABLE POSITIONS COMPRISING A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED ELONGATE BASE SUPPORT TO BE MOUNTED ON A SUPPORTING SURFACE, A BRACKET SECURED TO THE BASE TO PROJECT THEREFROM SUBSTANTIALLY MIDWAY BETWEEN THE ENDS THEREOF AND LIE IN A PLANE PERPENDICULAR TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE BASE, SAID BRACKET HAVING A PORTION ENGAGING THE SUPPORTING SURFACE AT A POINT REMOTE FROM THE BASE TO FORM AN OUTBOARD SUPPORT AND A SOCKET MEANS HAVING AN UPWARDLY FACING SOCKET, AN ADJUSTABLE COUNTERBALANCED ARM HAVING A MOUNTING PIN ON ONE END THEREOF REMOVABLY MOUNTED IN SAID SOCKET, A TELEVISION RECEIVER, MOUNTED BY SWIVEL MEANS ON THE OTHER END OF THE ARM, AND MEANS FOR SUPPLYING OPERATING POWER AND TELEVISION SIGNAL TO SAID TELEVISION RECEIVER IN ALL ADJUSTED POSITIONS THEREOF. 